


Heart of the Ocean

by makkurataichou



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: M/M, Zaveid in a kappa suit, big dock AU, how much more ridiculous can I get with these tags, oblivious Mikleo, pining Sorey, sea lions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 23:04:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8819857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makkurataichou/pseuds/makkurataichou
Summary: Mikleo has always loved the ocean. Having lived beside it all his life thus far, he supposes it’s impossible not to.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this is an AU that [Chim](https://twitter.com/Chimfucius) and I started discussing on a whim and it GRADUALLY EVOLVED INTO THIS FIC AS WELL AS A BUNCH OF REALLY GREAT ARTWORK BY HER THAT INSPIRED ME TO KEEP WRITING EVERY DAY <3
> 
> I've been so excited to share this fic with all of you, I hope you enjoy it!! \o/

Mikleo awakens to warm, soft lips pressed against his.

His gaze meets a pair of brilliant green eyes looking down at him, sparkling almost like the ocean itself. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” a voice breathes, filled with relief, and his heart inexplicably flutters for a brief moment.

“Where am I?” he asks, trying to sit up. His gaze is still coming into focus, and all he can see around him is a cluster of brown.  _ ‘Did I pass out near the rocks or something?’ _

The figure above him retreats slightly, and Mikleo briefly registers the feeling of water dripping onto his face before it disappears. He pushes himself upright—

—only to realize that he is lying in the midst of a field of sunbathing sea lions.

Mikleo freezes up instantly, his eyes growing wide. As much as he loves sea lions, he’s always been too afraid to approach them. “What happened?” he wonders out loud. He cannot for the life of him remember how he ended up  _ here _ of all places.

He hears a laugh to his left, and turns to look at the green-eyed figure now kneeling next to him. He is wearing a pair of bright orange swimming trunks, and his brown hair is slightly dishevelled by the wind. He is watching Mikleo with an amused look on his face.

“One of these guys ran over to you and completely knocked you over!” he explains, looking positively starry-eyed. “You must’ve really excited him for him to do that to you.”

A memory pops into his mind; one of his slightly hesitation upon seeing a sea lion from afar. Mikleo vaguely remembers thinking “they aren’t anything like  _ real _ dogs, right?” and extending his arm—clearly, that had been his first mistake.

He pouts slightly. “They look much smaller from a distance, alright? I wasn’t expecting it to run up to me and jump me!”

“I’m sure he just wanted a hug!” The boy’s smile falters slightly. “But when you fell over and didn’t get up, I got worried...I had to make sure you were okay.”

Despite himself, Mikleo smiles slightly. “Thank you, then. For giving me, uh...CPR?” Not that he’d needed it in the first place if he’d just been knocked out, but he supposes it’s the thought that counts.

The boy blushes. “Uh, yeah! CPR!” he repeats, placing a hand behind his head, and Mikleo raises an eyebrow at the gesture. Such an unusual boy...speaking of which—

“I’ve never seen you around town before,” he states matter-of-factly. “Did you just move to the area?”

The boy’s grin falters. “O-oh, uh, I don't live too far from here actually. I've never visited before...but I've heard really great things.”

Mikleo doesn't miss the hesitation in his voice, nor the faint blush in his cheeks.  _ ‘He must be nervous.’ _

He pushes himself to his feet and offers the brown-haired boy a hand. “In that case, welcome to Ladylake Pier. My family owns these docks, so if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask.”

The boy takes Mikleo’s hand and pulls himself upright. His hands go immediately to his sides, grabbing at the waistband of his trunks. He stumbles forward slightly, but catches himself at the last moment and lets out an embarrassed laugh. Mikleo watches all of this transpire within a span of seconds, and the corner of his mouth twitches. 

_ ‘Those trunks are way too big for him. Has he never been to the beach before?’ _

Before he can say anything, however, the boy’s head snaps up to look Mikleo in the eye, his brilliant green gaze still unwavering.

“I’m Sorey,” he introduces himself, his smile never faltering for even a second. “What's your name?”

“Mikleo,” comes the response. Mikleo hasn't had to introduce himself to anyone in a while—most patrons of the Ladylake pier already know him and his family well enough, so this is strangely refreshing.

Sorey tilts his head. “Hmm, I thought for sure it was—ah, never mind!” He interrupts himself and places his hands out in front of him. “It’s nice to meet you, M-Mikleo.”

_ ‘How strange,’ _ Mikleo finds himself wondering again, but he lets it slide. “Same here,” he offers. “If there's anything I can do for you in exchange for helping me out, let me know.”

The boy nods; suddenly, his eyes light up. “Well, there is one thing…”

* * *

Mikleo has always loved the ocean. Having lived beside it all his life thus far, he supposes it’s impossible not to. The azure tint of the water on calm days is arguably his favourite colour, and he loves to watch the waves ebb and flow from the docks at night, caressing the wooden posts beneath him, the sound of water filling his ears. He loves the ocean, and he loves the stories his mother told him growing up—the one about sea foam horses, the one about the General of the deep, and most importantly: the ones about sea lions.

“Sea lions are a good omen, Mikleo,” she has said to him several times—whether they are cooking at home or out on the water, she never fails to bring them up. “If they're around, it's always a good sign. Remember that they're always watching out for you in every aspect of your life.”

He's grown up listening to his mother’s words and kept them close to his heart. If sea lions really are a sign of good things to come, then it could only be some kind of destiny that brought him and Sorey together.

But why? Mikleo doesn't quite understand. He's never been lonely or wanted for anything—why now, and why  _ him  _ of all people? Though he supposes he can't really complain: Sorey is enthusiastic and easy to talk to, which makes his company quite enjoyable.

He thinks back to Sorey’s simple request from a little while earlier: to spend three days with him. It’s such a baffling request—Ladylake isn’t a large town, so if Sorey is going to be around for three days, Mikleo will probably end up running into him pretty often anyway. Still, when he’d agreed, the brunet’s face had turned an interesting shade of red, and he’d looked away and mumbled a quick “thank you I’ll be right back” before inexplicably dashing away, leaving Mikleo to ponder his actions.

“Ladylake is a tourist town...maybe he’s just happy to be here,” he wonders out loud, staring up at the sky and watching the clouds go by. He sits there quite a while longer—it’s his day off, anyway. The sky begins to turn a soft shade of orange, and he vaguely wonders whether Sorey is even coming back—

—until he sees him approaching out of the corner of his eye, having swapped his too-large swim trunks for a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt.

“Sorry for making you wait,” he breathes, doubling over. “Clothes are...complicated.”

Mikleo nods. “It's fine. Sometimes it takes me a while to pick an outfit too. Where did you want to go?”

“Oh, nowhere! I just want to walk around with you, that's all.”

_ ‘So strange.’  _ “Alright, then. Let's go.”

Sorey asks him all kinds of questions as they walk along the docks, surrounded by people. Mikleo is amused—he hasn't had to function as a tour guide in quite a while, and in all honesty he's missed it.

“Why do they call it Ladylake if it's near the ocean?” Sorey asks, curious.

“The founders messed up, that's all,” Mikleo explains. “They thought we were beside a large lake when they named it. It may have been a mistake, but the name stuck. It's a fun story to tell visitors.”

Sorey hums in response, and the two of them fall back into silence, still walking in step beside each other. Moments later, however, Sorey asks another question, and Mikleo responds in kind, and this back-and-forth continues even as the sun sinks beneath the ocean waves and a cool breeze begins to blow.

“This place is so beautiful,” Sorey sighs, stopping briefly to look at the ocean. Mikleo joins him—he can’t help but agree. Ladylake has been his home all his life, but he never fails to appreciate its beauty. The two of them watch the rising moon together, marvelling at the way it illuminates the waves in the distance.

Moments later, however, he feels Sorey’s gaze on him. It feels oddly intense, and he turns to look at the brunet, confused.

“Is there something on my face?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. Sorey blinks once, then his eyes grow wide and he takes a quick step back, seemingly snapping out of some kind of daze.

“No, no, there's nothing!” he insists, his cheeks turning pink again. Mikleo supposes it’s because of the cold, and he crosses his arms with a sigh.

“You should bring warmer clothes with you next time. Ladylake can get pretty cold at night.”

“Y-yeah, thanks…wait, next time?”

Mikleo looks at him, confused. “You did say you wanted to spend the next three days with me, didn't you? I hope you packed some jackets.”

In that instant, Sorey’s entire face appears to light up. “I will! I-I mean I did! I’ll bring them along! Thank you, Mikleo!”

“There’s no need to thank me.”  _ ‘After all, you were the one who asked in the first place…’ _

They part not long after, Sorey excusing himself suddenly and running off towards the beach with a promise to meet at the same spot tomorrow afternoon. He waves to Mikleo from a distance, and Mikleo raises a hand in response, unable to keep a small smile from stretching across his face as he walks back along the pier towards his house.

_ ‘What an interesting person.’ _

* * *

Mikleo meets Sorey again the next day, and they pass their time uneventfully yet again. Mikleo is surprised by how long Sorey is able to go without talking at all—he seems content to simply walk beside him for hours, never saying a single word. Not being forced to maintain a conversation is nice, and it fills him with a sense of ease. Yet, he can't help but feel as though he should reciprocate to make up for Sorey’s curious enthusiasm from yesterday.

“So, uh, what do you like to do, Sorey?”

“M-me?” The question apparently catches him off-guard. “Uh, I love to swim! Oh, and I love books, too. I have a whole collection.”

Mikleo looks at him with interest. “I like to read too. We should exchange books some time.”

Sorey grins excitedly. “Yeah, sure! Some of them might be waterlogged though…”

“...waterlogged?” Mikleo raises an eyebrow.

“Y-yeah! My dad doesn't like me reading books, so I need to hide them from him.” He sighs. “He says I should be doing more important things...that books aren't meant for...me,” he finishes lamely, seemingly struggling with his words.

Mikleo feels some sympathy for him. His own uncle and mother have always shared his love for reading. To think of a family member who would keep knowledge from their child...in his mind, it’s unforgivable.

Apologetic, he places a hand on Sorey’s shoulder. “In that case, you can visit my house any time,” he offers, smiling in what he hopes is a welcoming manner. “We have a small library that you can use if you ever want to read freely.”

Sorey’s eyes are wide and his face is slightly red, but he nods slowly, his gaze occasionally darting to the hand on his shoulder. Mikleo wonders whether Sorey is getting sunburnt—at this point, the tips of his ears seem to be turning red, too.

“Do you need sunscreen?” he asks, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small bottle. He always has it with him, having picked up on his mother’s tendency to always have supplies on her in case of emergencies. Having worked at the docks for so long, he can't help but be concerned for the people who visit unprepared.

“I-I, uh—”

_ ‘He’s struggling to talk...the heat might be getting to his head, too,’ _ he wonders, and opens the bottle, squeezing a little sunscreen onto his hand. Without a moment’s hesitation, he reaches up and applies some to Sorey’s ears, dabbing a little on the tip of his nose for good measure, just like his mother used to do for him when he was younger.

Sorey seizes up but does not resist, so Mikleo briefly slathers the rest of the sunscreen over his cheeks before taking a step back.

“You should feel better soon—just let me know if you need more anywhere else,” he says, pocketing the bottle. Sorey nods weakly, his face now inexplicably much redder than it had been a few minutes ago. Mikleo sighs—maybe it takes a while to kick in. He hopes it'll be sooner rather than later.

As they continue to walk, Sorey suddenly stops in his tracks. He lets out a gasp and points into the distance.

“What is  _ that _ ?!” he asks, clearly awed. Mikleo follows his arm, his gaze eventually landing on the amusement park at the end of the pier.

“Do you mean the ferris wheel?”

“That's what it’s called? Is that the thing that lights up at night and spins around?”

Mikleo gives him a look. “Are you telling me you've never been on a ferris wheel?” he asks, placing his hands on his hips. 

Sorey shakes his head rapidly. “Nope, I guess my dad never let me near those either.” He smiles wistfully. “It looks so bright and welcoming at night. I've always wanted to go.”

Mikleo frowns. With such an overbearing father, he wonders what kind of childhood Sorey must have had. “I get a family discount,” he offers. “I can take you to the amusement park one of these days.”

Sorey tilts his head—as strange as it feels to admit it, Mikleo finds the gesture endearing. 

“Y-you’d do that? For me?” he asks in quiet disbelief.

“I take people there all the time.” Mikleo waves it off. “It’s not a big deal.”

Sorey’s eyes brighten and his smile stretches across his face for the umpteenth time since Mikleo has met him—somehow, it never seems to grow old. “Thank you, Mikleo! I can’t wait!”

“Of course.” Mikleo places a hand under his chin thoughtfully.  _ ‘I hope Uncle Michael won't mind if I skip out on half a day’s worth of chores.’ _

They spend the rest of the afternoon idly watching sea lions laze around on the beach. They seem relatively at peace, which puts Mikleo’s mind at ease. He must be doing something right after all.

* * *

The next afternoon, they meet outside the entrance to the Ladylake amusement park. Sorey is bobbing on his heels, seemingly raring to go in, and Mikleo smiles faintly at the sight.

_ ‘He’s just like a child.’ _

Mikleo learns very quickly that Sorey has no money on him. The boy apologizes profusely, apparently not having realized that amusement parks cost money. Mikleo sighs, but cannot bring himself to be upset, especially not when Sorey is so visibly distraught himself.

“Don't worry about it, Sorey. I'll pay,” he says.

“Mikleo, you’ve done so much for me so far, I can’t just let you—”

“It’s fine, Sorey. Just pay me back some time, okay?”

Sorey nods. “I...I’ll give you what I can.”

The two of them walk around, and Mikleo soon finds (if he hadn’t felt it already) that Sorey’s enthusiasm is incredibly contagious. He finds himself enjoying simple things like cotton candy when Sorey gets excited about it—”it’s like a sugar cloud!”—and his competitive nature reawakens when Sorey challenges him to a game of ring toss.

“I bet I can get more rings than you, Mikleo!”

“Ha! I’ve been playing these games for  _ years _ . There’s no way I can lose to you.”

Minutes later, Sorey is clutching a giant dolphin plushie while Mikleo runs a frustrated hand through his hair, still in disbelief.

_ ‘How did he beat me?! I’ve played this game all my life, no one ever gets more than three rings in a single round— _ ”

His thoughts are interrupted when a dolphin snout suddenly appears in his peripheral vision. He looks up and sees Sorey holding his prize out, grinning lightly.

“For you, Mikleo!” he offers with a small embarrassed laugh.

Mikleo glances between Sorey and the plushie in his hands, then frowns. “Are you taking pity on me?”

Sorey’s grip on the dolphin tightens slightly. “W-what? No I’m not—I just...” He begins to turn red again. “I-I heard you’re supposed to give gifts to people you consider...special…”

_ ‘Special?!’ _ “Do you think I’m weird?” Mikleo huffs. “Is it because I've lived here all my life? Does that make me strange?”

“No, no, you’re not strange at all, Mikleo!” Sorey sticks out one of his hands in protest, then gives up, wrapping his arms around the plushie and sighing heavily. “Ah, just forget it…” he mumbles, burying his face in the dolphin’s neck. 

Just then, the ferris wheel lights blink on, illuminating the area with a warm glow. Mikleo looks around and realizes that the sun is already setting. He hadn’t even noticed the time.

Sorey looks up in awe and sighs dreamily. “It’s even more beautiful up-close than I’d imagined,” he whispers, then turns to Mikleo. “We’re going on, right?”

“You can go on your own if you want to.” Mikleo crosses his arms, still slightly offended. “I’ve been enough times, and you can’t see the sea lions at night anyway, so there’s no point.”

The brunet lets out a laugh. “Why are the sea lions so important to you, anyway?”

“T-they’re smarter than you think!” Mikleo exclaims defensively. “They’ve...always been around me, ever since I was a kid,” he adds in a softer voice. “Even if I  _ am _ a little afraid of them, somehow when they’re near I just know that things are going well.”

Sorey gives him a gentle smile. “The person who told you that was right. Sea lions can read people well—they’re good for advice, too!”

Mikleo pouts. “Hm, well if I ever succeed in talking to one, I’ll let you know whether I believe you or not.”

The two of them look at each other, then share a brief laugh. Mikleo’s slight frustration from earlier dissipates completely—while it’s not a particularly big deal, a part of him is grateful that Sorey respects his feelings towards sea lions, childish though they may be. He realizes that it’s easy to talk to Sorey about things like this. Maybe this is what the sea lions wanted for him all along.

The dolphin plushie suddenly presses between their bodies as Sorey shyly reaches forward and grabs Mikleo’s wrist, pulling him towards the ferris wheel. “Let’s go!” he yells, tugging Mikleo along until they reach the kiosk.

The man operating the machinery is wearing what appears to be a kappa costume, the head sitting on the counter beside him. There is a bored look on his face, but it is replaced by a wide smirk when he sees the two boys approaching.

“Two, please,” Mikleo mutters, ignoring the look the man behind the counter is giving him and Sorey and their linked hands.

“I see you brought a  _ friend _ along, Mikky-boy! About time, too.”

“S-shut up, Zaveid, just let us on. He’s never been on a ferris wheel before.”

Zaveid’s teasing grin only grows wider. “First time, huh? Don’t worry kids, I’ll be gentle,” he says with a wink. Mikleo groans and slaps his forehead.

The two of them squeeze into a booth together, and the ride starts up not long after. Sorey sits beside Mikleo, while the dolphin sits on the bench across from them because of its sheer size. The soft creaking of the booth as it swings back and forth fills the silence between them, accompanied only by the distant sounds of the ocean. Mikleo closes his eyes and smiles softly—he can never tire of listening to the cries of the seagulls, the whistling of the gentle autumn breeze, the gentle rumble of the ocean waves. Sorey is silent, and he takes that to mean that he is enjoying himself as well. When he finally opens his eyes, however, he finds Sorey staring at him yet again, a reverent look on his face.

“What’s wrong, Sorey? Shouldn’t you be looking out the window—”

The words die on his lips when Sorey reaches forward and places a gentle hand on his shoulder, not breaking eye contact even for a moment. His thumb rubs slow circles over the top of Mikleo’s shoulder blade—it’s an innocent gesture, and yet it makes the blue-haired boy’s cheeks grow warm.

_ ‘W-what is this?!’ _

“S-Sorey,” he repeats, and his voice seems to snap Sorey out of his daze. He gasps and pulls his arm back as if he’s been burned, and quickly tucks his hand into his pocket.

“I-I’m sorry Mikleo, I didn’t mean it!” he stammers, blushing wildly. “I just got caught up in the moment, I didn’t think I’d actually—”

Mikleo shakes his head to clear the strange fog that is still filling his brain. “It’s fine, Sorey. Seriously, all you did was touch my shoulder. No big deal.”

Green eyes blink slowly. “O-oh, yeah, I guess,” Sorey replies with a short laugh, but somehow it sounds more forced than usual. His eyes dart around, avoiding Mikleo’s, and his expression looks slightly crestfallen. Mikleo wonders if he said something wrong, but when he opens his mouth to speak the carriage suddenly slows to a halt.

Cotton candy clouds stretch across the sky as the sun dips beneath the ocean, and multiple shades of blue, purple, orange, and pink fill Mikleo’s vision when he looks out the window. As many times as he’s been on this ferris wheel, somehow this time the sight is more surreal than ever before. Maybe he’s never seen this particular view until now. Maybe it’s the time of year. Or maybe, just  _ maybe _ , it’s the company of the boy sitting beside him that fills his chest with a strange, yet fulfilling warmth. Sorey leans over Mikleo slightly and lets out an awed gasp—the violet hue tints his eyes a surreal turquoise, reminding Mikleo of the calm, deep ocean and of his favourite colour. The ocean breeze ruffles Sorey’s brown hair, brushing his cheeks. Mikleo’s fingers twitch inexplicably—he’s filled with the urge to run his hands through Sorey’s bangs and he cannot for the life of him understand  _ why _ .

And so he sits there in silence, too nervous and  _ confused _ to say any more, their hearts beating rapidly in unison.

* * *

Sorey never anticipated that his infatuation with Mikleo would grow even  _ more _ after meeting him in person.

He’d always felt a pull towards the Ladylake beach, ever since he was young. When his friend Alisha had told him a few weeks ago that it was because he was being drawn to his soulmate, Sorey had felt his heart skip a beat. He had found it impossible to keep the wide, goofy grin off his face the entire day, and his father, of course, had not failed to notice it.

He’d tried to explain it to Heldalf, he really had. But, true to his title, the General of the Deep did not take silly superstitions seriously.

“Merpeople are meant to live  _ underwater _ , Sorey,” he had scolded. “Even if you have a soulmate, how could they possibly exist above land? It’s inconceivable. Get those silly thoughts out of your head.”

Sorey had pouted all day after that, doing laps around the ocean in a failed attempt to cheer himself up. He’d visited his secret cave—the place where he stored all the books he found washed up by the shore—and tried to read for a few hours...and that’s when he’d seen Mikleo for the first time. The striking wind-tousled white-blue hair had drawn him in closer, and then, when Mikleo had looked up from mopping the docks to stare out at the water, Sorey had found himself captivated by those eyes, those  _ gorgeous eyes _ .

He‘d known in that instant that Mikleo was the one he was destined for. And so, he’d taken to watching him from afar in his spare time, flipping his tail fins idly when he followed the boy as he walked along the docks. He heard a man in a kappa suit refer to him as “Mikky-boy”, and he’d seen a blonde-haired girl call him “Meebo” in passing, and so the names had stuck in his head.

His mind filled with innocent curiosity and the desire to know everything he could about this “Meebo”, he’d begged Uno, the court wizard, to give him a spell to turn him human for a short time. Uno had refused immediately, saying things like “it’s dangerous in the human world” and “if they found out what you are they’ll try to eat you”.

Then, Sorey had offered to bring him back human sweets, and suddenly it’d been much easier to strike a deal.

Three days were all he’d been given, and he had been told to return to the ocean at the end of every day to refresh the spell. Sorey had initially planned to use it at the start of a new day, but then he’d seen Mikleo get tackled by a sea lion and his first instinct had been to rush out of the water and dash to his side, pressing his lips against the boy’s like he’d seen so many humans do before.

Then, Meebo...no,  _ Mikleo _ had opened his breathtaking violet eyes and it had been as though Sorey’s world had been made anew.

Three days. Not long has passed since their first encounter, but Sorey knows that their time together won’t last long. Not when he’s still a merman and knows so little about the human world. Mikleo has been kind to him, showing him around and buying him treats, and with every passing day he finds himself falling harder and faster.

If only it was easier to get his feelings across. Sorey also never could’ve anticipated how  _ dense _ Mikleo could be when it came to his attempts at affection. He’d even ended up accidentally doing one of the most intimate things known to merpeople—touching his shoulder. Mikleo’s body had been warm under his hand, even through his clothes, and Sorey still wishes that he’d been more conscious of his own actions when he’d taken them. But, of course, Mikleo had brushed the whole thing off as “no big deal”, and Sorey had found himself wondering whether the gesture wasn’t considered as affectionate as it was underwater.

_‘What is the human equivalent_ _of a shoulder touch?’_ he still wonders as he walks beside Mikleo on their third and final day together. _‘What can I do to show him how much I care about him?’_

“Here, Sorey.” His thoughts are interrupted when the blue-haired boy hands him a popsicle with a smile on his face. Mikleo’s bangs are windswept today, and Sorey finds that he likes the additional glimpse of skin beneath his hair. It makes him look more intellectual, more...Mikleo.

His heart swells with affection. “Thanks, Mikleo,” he breathes. Sometimes he just wants to say the name over and over again—Mikleo, Mikleo,  _ Mikleo _ —he screams the name in his mind, and then the boy in question looks over at him and pouts in his usual, adorable way and asks why he’s making such a strange face, and of course he can’t just reply “I’m just thinking about you” because that would be  _ so embarrassing _ .

Sorey has it pretty bad, and he knows his feelings won’t go away anytime soon. But at least he’s had his three days, and if he can make the most of the few hours he has left, that’s all that matters.  

* * *

They seat themselves at the edge of the docks, swinging their legs over the edge and looking out at the point where the horizon meets the water. Their portion of the pier overlooks yet another popular sunbathing spot for sea lions, and true enough there are a few lazing around without a care in the world.

“Mikleo,” Sorey whispers softly, getting the other boy’s attention. Mikleo turns to him, curious.

“I’m...really glad I got to spend these last few days with you,” Sorey continues, smiling at him. “You’ve been so welcoming...so helpful...I wish there was something I could do to repay you.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” Mikleo replies with a quick shake of his head. “I’ve...enjoyed spending this time with you too,” he adds despite himself, twiddling his thumbs in his lap. “I’ve had friends before, but I feel like we get along pretty well even though we haven’t known each other long.”

Sorey nods, his eyes sparkling. “Yeah! I’m so happy you feel the same way!” he exclaims, nearly dropping his popsicle in his excitement. He fumbles with it before catching it the wrong way up, and grimaces when the melted ice cream drips down his fingers.

Amused, Mikleo lets out a laugh. Truth be told, he hasn’t allowed himself to have this much fun with a visitor for several years. He’s gotten used to making friends over the summer only to have them leave when the summer months are up, filling him with a sense of loneliness he hasn’t been able to escape for a long, long time.

Which is why he doesn’t really want Sorey to leave. For once, he wants to say “don’t go yet, stay a little longer” but his logical mind tells him that it isn’t possible. Most people who come to Ladylake don’t stay long—such is the fate of a tourist town, and Mikleo has reluctantly grown to accept it. As much as he wants Sorey to stay—as much as he wishes  _ someone _ would stay  _ for once _ —he stubbornly refuses to put his feelings into words, choosing instead to stare out at the water as he usually does.

The sun rises high in the sky, and the number of sea lions beneath them appears to multiply rapidly. Mikleo watches as two of them dance around each other, moving in close and being affectionate, and then—

He nearly falls over in shock. In all his years working at the docks, watching his fabled sea lions, not once has he ever seen them  _ getting intimate on the beach _ . Mikleo’s face burns with embarrassment, and he glances at Sorey out of the corner of his eye. Surely this doesn’t mean—

Sorey looks back at him, confused. “Huh? What’s wrong, Mikleo? Your face is red,” he states simply.

Mikleo’s brow furrows and he bites his lip, feeling the heat rising to his ears as well. “I-it’s nothing!” he says all-too-quickly, and  _ of course _ Sorey notices his flustered tone. Strangely enough, however, he inches closer.

“Do  _ you _ need sunscreen today, Mikleo?” he asks, a teasing grin stretching across his face.

Mikleo’s eyes grow wide. “What? N-no!” he cries, his mind scrambling to find the right words to say. “I was just...you...and the  _ sea lions _ —”

He claps a hand over his mouth, but the damage is already done. Sorey looks over at the sea lions and his mouth falls open at the sight. His cheeks turn pink as he looks over at Mikleo slowly, but instead of looking horrified, his expression is surprisingly soft and almost  _ hopeful _ . Mikleo’s breath hitches.

_ ‘Does this mean...is this what Sorey wanted all along? Were the sea lions not a sign for me...but for him?’ _

Almost as if to answer his unspoken question, Sorey lifts a hand, asking permission with his eyes. Mikleo nods unconsciously, and tenses when the brunet places a hand on his shoulder once again. His touch is warm and gentle, and it soothes Mikleo when Sorey shyly runs a thumb along his collarbone.

“Where I come from,” Sorey begins to explain, swallowing slightly. “This is considered a really strong form of, uh...affection.” He clears his throat. “What I mean to say is...I really, really like you, Mikleo. A  _ lot _ .”

Mikleo takes in a deep breath, then releases it. All of Sorey’s strange actions from the last three days suddenly make sense now—the nervousness, the staring, even the giant dolphin that is now lying in Mikleo’s room. Yet, although Sorey’s sudden confession should leave him feeling awkward, instead it fills him with warmth and makes his heart beat just a little faster. He finds himself drawn in further—to the bright green, sometimes-turquoise eyes, to the gentle smile, to the affectionate gestures and boundless curiosity that is just so... _ Sorey _ .

“Well, where I come from,” Mikleo breathes, sliding closer so he can take Sorey’s other hand in his own. “ _ This _ is how we show affection.”

And he presses his lips against Sorey’s, moulding their mouths together.

Sorey sucks in a breath but does not break away—his lips are soft and a little bit cold due to the ocean air, but he makes up for it when he brings his warm hands up to cradle Mikleo’s face, pressing their faces even closer.

“I thought this was called, uh, CPR?” Sorey asks breathlessly when they finally pull apart.

Mikleo looks at him quizzically. “Kisses are different from CPR, Sorey, didn't you know that?”

Sorey tilts his head. “A kiss?” His face splits into a grin. “A kiss!” he repeats. “That's what it is! That's just what it sounds like!”

Mikleo is even more confused now.  _ ‘What kind of rock has he been living under?!’ _

Before he can put those thoughts into words, however, Sorey is already leaning in and pressing butterfly kisses against his mouth again, and this time his lips are warm and Mikleo can't help but laugh a little even as he leans forward and captures Sorey’s excited mouth with his own, holding him in place and deepening the kiss.

Then, suddenly, Sorey pulls away abruptly and clutches at his chest. “Oh no, I forgot,” he wheezes, and Mikleo does not miss the pained expression on his face.

“What’s wrong, Sorey?” he asks, eyes widening in shock when he sees the brunet struggling to breathe. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Can you…” He appears to hesitate, but then his eyes squeeze shut. “Can you take me to the water?”

“W-what? Sorey, this is no time for a swim—”

“Just...trust me...”

Confused but also equally concerned, Mikleo chooses to oblige. He turns around and allows Sorey to climb onto his back, then stands up and hooks his arms underneath Sorey’s legs. Sorey’s breathing is unexpectedly ragged against his ear, and his heart races rapidly as he walks towards the water as fast as he can manage with the extra weight.

When they finally reach the end of the boardwalk, Mikleo lets Sorey down. Under normal circumstances, they should have been surrounded by boats, but there are none around them today.

“What do I do now—SOREY!!” he cries out when the brunet suddenly and inexplicably throws himself over the edge of the dock and into the water. Panic begins to build within Mikleo’s chest, and he leans over the edge of the dock, searching for signs of life but only seeing ripples where Sorey had been only moments ago.

A minute passes, and it feels like the longest minute of Mikleo’s entire life. He glances between the water and his own hands, which are now shaking uncontrollably. He feels helpless, and the feeling only grows worse when he finds his vision starting to blur as tears spring to his eyes.

_ ‘Sorey, why would you do something like that? You told me to trust you, so why…?’ _

Then, he hears a splash, and a familiar voice softly says, “Mikleo.”

His heart soars and he rushes to the edge of the pier, stretching his arm out towards the boy in the ocean. “Sorey! Take my hand!” he calls, but Sorey shakes his head slowly.

“I’m okay, Mikleo,” he says gently, swimming closer. He reaches up and places a hand on Mikleo’s face, raising a thumb to brush the tears from his eyelashes. “I’m okay.”

“You...you had me so worried!” Mikleo sobs angrily, his tears dripping down his face and into the water below. “What were you thinking?! Give me some kind of warning next time!”

Sorey’s expression is hesitant, yet hopeful as he looks up at Mikleo, his green eyes matching the colour of the water’s surface. “N-next time?” he asks, and Mikleo experiences a strange sense of deja vu.

“Yes, next time,” he huffs in response, drying his eyes. Then, he takes in a slow breath. “Do you feel any better now?”

Sorey frowns. “I do, but, uh, Mikleo, haven’t you noticed anything? About me?”

“...huh?” Mikleo raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean—”

It is only then that he sees the long blue-green tail fanning out behind Sorey where his legs should have been.

Mikleo is speechless. It’s stunning and unlike anything he’s seen before, like something out of a fairy tale, and he briefly wonders whether he is dreaming; whether he’s been dreaming for the past three days.

“Sorey, you—” He struggles with his words. “You’re a  _ merman _ ?”

The brunet nods and gives him a sheepish grin. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I didn’t...want you to think I was weird.”

The remaining pieces fall into place. Sorey’s ignorance about simple, straightforward,  _ human _ things finally makes sense. Mikleo shakes his head and lets out a laugh.

Sorey tilts his head in confusion. “Mikleo? Are you okay?”

Mikleo doesn't respond, still in disbelief at how well a single fact has managed to answer so many of his questions. He claps a hand over his mouth and looks away, and Sorey’s face falls.

“I-I get it,” he whispers, crestfallen. “We’re from completely different worlds, right? There's no way you could ever be my...my  _ other half—” _

He chokes on the last two words and crosses his arms across his stomach, biting down on his lower lip to keep the tears at bay. “I...I'm still glad I got to meet you, Mikleo. I'm so happy I could be with you, even if it was just for a little while—”

“Sorey.”

The merman looks up, his green eyes wide and slightly hopeful. Mikleo beckons him closer, and he hesitantly swims towards the dock, stopping when he is just an arm’s length away. Mikleo extends a hand and Sorey inches forward slowly, carefully, until his face is nearly aligned with Mikleo’s palm.

Then, Mikleo's fingers make contact with his cheek in the form of a soft slap. It doesn't hurt but Sorey flinches anyway, and he closes his eyes tightly, anticipating another one.

But the pain doesn't come. Instead, Mikleo cups his face in both hands and leans forward, pressing their foreheads together.

“Don’t scare me like that ever again,” he reprimands gently, his cheeks stained pink. “And...I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't mean it. Whether you're a human, or a merman, or even a _sea_ _lion_...I really like you too, Sorey. No matter what.”

Sorey’s heart swells. “You mean it?”

“I do.” He averts his eyes shyly. “Now come closer so I can kiss you again.”

“M-Mikleo!!”

Mikleo’s face is bright red when he stretches his arms out expectantly. “J-just come here!”

Sorey hesitates, then throws all caution to the wind and jumps out of the water, all but collapsing on top of Mikleo. His tail is cold and slimy and wet against Mikleo’s legs, but his bare torso is warm and his back is soft under Mikleo's fingertips when he wraps his arms around Sorey and brings their lips together. Their mouths move in unison, gently yet urgently, almost as though they have sought each other for the longest time. Almost as though they were meant to be together for all eternity. Almost like  _ soulmates _ .

Mikleo has always loved the ocean. And now, as Sorey pulls away shyly and looks at him with enough adoration to make his heart swell, and the distant sounds of crashing waves and creaking seagulls and barking sea lions fill the air, he can’t help but believe that the ocean loves him too.

* * *

Epilogue:

They take to meeting at the docks every day, where the water meets the land and they can both be themselves while also enjoying the pleasure of each other’s company. Sorey pushes himself up onto the pier, beside Mikleo, the ends of his tail fin skimming the water’s surface.

“Oh, before I forget!”

The blue-haired boy watches Sorey as he reaches into the knapsack slung over his shoulder and pulls out an item wrapped in cloth. “I still owe you for that day at the amusement park, right?” he asks, holding it out for Mikleo to take. “I hope this is good enough!”

Mikleo unwraps the cloth to find a delicate gold circlet, and his eyes grow wide. “Sorey, this is beautiful,” he whispers, unable to keep the awe from his voice. “I can’t accept this. You don’t owe me anything, and even if you did this is probably worth  _ much _ more.”

“Consider it a present, then,” Sorey grins, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his forehead. “Uno said it was once enchanted with a spell that allowed a human to breathe underwater! Isn’t that cool?”

The human blushes slightly and nods. “I-it is…” he replies, then bites his lip. “I wonder...if the spell was still in effect...would you ever show me your home, Sorey?”

Sorey beams and he nods his head furiously. “Of course! There are so many underwater ruins I want to show you, I’m sure you’d love them!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Mikleo agrees with a short laugh. “Then, I’ll keep this until that day comes.”

Sorey takes the circlet from his hands and pushes Mikleo’s windswept bangs back, threading it through his hair until it rests securely on his forehead. “It suits you,” he says affectionately when Mikleo glances upwards, trying to get used to the strange, unfamiliar weight atop his head.

“My mother’s going to wonder where I got the money to buy this,” Mikleo tells him with a teasing grin, ignoring the flutter in his stomach when Sorey pulls him closer by the waist and presses a kiss against his mouth.

“Just tell her it’s from your very-rich, totally-human...uh...male friend?”

“ _ Boyfriend _ , Sorey,” Mikleo corrects with a blush. “We’ve been over this, male friend and boyfriend are two completely different things.”

“But the words are almost the same,” Sorey says with a pout. “You humans are so complicated.”  

Mikleo sighs. “Tell me about it.”

* * *

When Mikleo returns home that night, he keeps the circlet on to surprise his mother and uncle. He expects them to appreciate the craftsmanship, so when the two of them freeze in place upon seeing him walk through the door, he finds himself quite confused. Michael stalks off and locks himself in his study almost immediately, while Muse grips the dish in her hands tightly, her eyes growing wide. Mikleo does not understand what he did to warrant such a strong reaction.

_ ‘I know it’s an expensive piece of jewelry but they haven’t even asked me where I got it from. What’s going on?!’ _

When Muse finally regains her composure, she puts her plate away and walks over to her son. With a sigh, she sits down on the couch and pats the empty space beside her, smiling faintly up at him.

“There’s one story I haven’t told you yet, Mikleo,” she admits softly. “I think it’s time you knew.”


End file.
